Media content typically comprises audio and/or image (e.g., video, cinema) information. Audio signals representative of media content, such as a stream of broadcast music, voice and/or sound effects, an audio portion of digital versatile disk (DVD) or BluRay Disk (BD) video content, a movie soundtrack or the like are accessed and processed. How loudspeakers, headphones or other transducers render the audio portions of the media content is typically based, at least in part, on the processing that is performed over the accessed audio signals. The processing that is performed on an accessed audio signal may have a variety of individual types, forms and characteristics, each having an independent purpose. Moreover, the various types and forms of processing that is performed on an accessed audio signal may be disposed or distributed over multiple processing entities, which may be included within a overall sound reproduction system.
For example, a sound reproduction system may include a set-top box, a tuner or receiver, a television (TV), stereo, or multi-channel acoustically spatialized home theater system, and one or more loudspeakers (and/or connections for headphones or the like, e.g., for individual listening). The set-top box accesses an audio signal from a cable, satellite, terrestrial broadcast, telephone line, or fiber optic source, or over a media interface such as high definition media interface (HDMI), digital video interface (DVI) or the like from a DVD or BD player. Processing of one kind may commence on the accessed audio signal within the set-top box. The processed signal may then be supplied to a TV receiver/tuner. Further processing of the audio signal may occur in the receiver. The receiver may then supply the signal to a TV, which may process the signal even further, and then render the processed signal with internal or external loudspeakers.
Processing of various types, forms and characteristics may be performed by the individual components on an audio system to achieve different results over the signal. For example, an audio processing application may relate to leveling the amplitude of the signal over sudden, gross changes. The audio signal amplitude of a broadcast may rise from a pleasant level, which may be associated with musical content or dramatic or educational dialog, to an unpleasant exaggerated boost level, to increase the marketing impact of a commercial segment. As the audio application senses the sudden level increase, it performs processing on the signal to restore the original volume level. However, if the same level processing operation is repeated subsequently by another audio system component over the already level-processed signal, then undesirable, conflicting, or counterproductive effects may result.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section. Similarly, issues identified with respect to one or more approaches should not assume to have been recognized in any prior art on the basis of this section, unless otherwise indicated.